Children under 15 'should not drink'

Children under the age of 15 should never be given alcohol, even at mealtimes in their own homes, England's chief medical officer has said.

Sir Liam Donaldson has produced new practical guidelines for parents and carers to remove widespread confusion surrounding the issue.

Although the new guidelines are not expected to lead to a change in the law, they follow concerns over the high levels of alcohol consumption among youngsters and the harm this can do to their health.

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Sir Liam told the BBC: 'It is advice to parents. It's their choice at the end of the day within the family setting.'

However, he cautioned: 'There is serious harm that can come to children if they drink and the main advice is that childhood should be an alcohol-free time. Certainly under the age of 15 there are serious risks.'

According to a survey by GMTV, three quarters of parents are happy for their children to drink at home under their supervision, but 83 per cent do not approve of under-18s drinking in their absence.

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